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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25551172">day 2: Counterpart</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewhiitelotus/pseuds/thewhiitelotus'>thewhiitelotus</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Zutara Week 2020 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, i guess i'd call this poetry</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:00:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,416</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25551172</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewhiitelotus/pseuds/thewhiitelotus</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>so, i'm not really sure what this is. i had started writing a few things for today's prompt and didn't like any of them, and then this happened, so here you go. i feel like so many people do the "red string of fate" thing and now i'm part of that club too 😊</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Katara/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Zutara Week 2020 [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1849882</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>day 2: Counterpart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Fate is a funny thing</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Destiny has no earthly morals</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And as such, she is often times quite cruel</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fate tells us we are bound to one another</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Strings attached to fingers spanning oceans and mountains</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tying us to whomever she desires</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A girl is born to a land of ice and snow</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes as blue as the endless ocean</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A red ring marked around her finger</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She lives in a microcosm</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Until one day, fate decides it is her time</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To go on a journey</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A boy is born to a land of fire and light</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes as gold as the morning sun</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A red ring marked around his finger</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His world is massive</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Until one day, fate decides it is his time</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To go on a journey</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl’s world expands</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes suddenly open wide</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lands beyond her own are burning</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And she doesn’t understand her destiny</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She only knows that the red ring on her finger</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Makes her feel a little more safe</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She must trust her fate</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What else does she have?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boys world shrinks</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His left eye forever closed</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The land around him is cold as ice</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And he doesn’t understand his destiny</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He only knows that the red ring on his finger</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Makes him feel a little more calm</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He must trust his fate</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What else does he have?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She finds a boy in ice</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her destiny awakens with glowing eyes</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ring around her finger pulses</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Is this boy her fate?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he has no red ring</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She questions her destiny as</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It draws nearer in the distance</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He sees a bright light in the sky</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His destiny awakens with glowing eyes</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ring around his finger pulses</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There is no time to worry about his fate</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Or the ever present red ring</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He does not question his destiny as</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It draws nearer in the distance</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The land of ice is split by fire</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boy marches off a large vessel</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Searching for his fate</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl strides forward</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ready to protect her home</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fighting for her fate</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Their eyes meet</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The red rings glow on their fingers</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This cannot be</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boy knows his destiny</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And it is not this girl</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With eyes like the ocean</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This cannot be</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl knows her destiny</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And it is not this boy</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With eyes full of fire</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Destiny is pushed aside this day</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boy with fire in his eyes </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Closes them to his fate</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And the girl with ice in her heart</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Locks it away</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy leaves the land of ice</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The red rings no longer glow</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They grow while they’re apart</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Life has taken its toll on both of them</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They are young, but old at heart</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And the red rings still stain their fingers</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They meet again</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A feisty young woman</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And a fiery young man</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Deny their destinies again</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Each has wrapped a bandage around their finger</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So when the red ring glows between them</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Along with an heirloom meant as a bribe</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They can both ignore the tug on their hands</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And on their hearts</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A different land of ice and snow</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Plunges into darkness</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fated two meet again</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boys bandage is gone</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And the red ring glows bright</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Until it is drowned out by a bloody moon</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A young life is lost</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fate is cruel this day</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As the distance grows again between the boy and girl</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ring’s glow dulls</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And both secretly find that they miss it</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even if they do not miss the hand it belongs to</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy of fire and light drags through the days</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The world is an ugly place, he finds</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The strength he was born into fades</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Until all he has left is a throbbing ache</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In his bones, in his head, in his heart</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl of ice and snow pulls through the days</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The world is a beautiful place, she finds</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hardship she was born into softens</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Until all she has left is a fragile hope</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In her bones, in her head, in her heart</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A flash of brightest white</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His world shrinks to a pinpoint</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The only love he has ever known</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lies motionless on the ground</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A flash of brightest white</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her heart reaches out to him</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A life she can help to heal</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lies motionless on the ground</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The red ring glows and pulses</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She tries to go to him</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She feels his pain, a visceral ache</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rages like a scared animal</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Like his life is a cage</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The red ring fades as they part</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl thinks of him</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The scared, scarred boy she saw a glimpse of</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hidden beneath the anger and pain</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She thinks of why destiny has decided that</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He is her fate</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy thinks of her</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The strong willed girl who tried to help</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Full of compassion and grace</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He thinks of why destiny has decided that</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She is his fate</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Fate is cruel this day</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she has her own agenda</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy and girl meet again</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In a cave of glowing crystals</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The truth comes out</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The glow of the red rings bright in the dark</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She touches his face</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And she sees so much in his eyes that she wants to heal</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He closes his eyes</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And he feels so much in her hand that he wants to understand</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rings glow brighter than ever before</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But fate is cruel this day</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And she has her own agenda</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy is scared and bone weary</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His days of fighting have worn him down</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He makes a decision</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The red ring fades to grey</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl is angry and betrayed</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her heart broken in a matter of moments</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She makes a decision</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The red ring fades to grey</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He is back in the land of fire and light</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knows what he should feel</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But his red ring is grey</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And his heart is lead heavy</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And things are not as simple as they seem</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She has traveled to the land of fire and light</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her hurt hardens into hate</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her red ring is grey</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And her heart burns with anger</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And things are not as easy as they seem</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The day comes when the sun goes dark</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl storms in</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Prepared for battle</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And leaves feeling more defeated than ever before</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But her ring is red again</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The day comes when the sun goes dark</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boy storms in</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Prepared for battle</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And he leaves feeling stronger than ever before</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And his ring is red again</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her hate burns hotter than his fire</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She meets his pleas with an icy tone</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But the boy has learned patience</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And his ring is red again</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knows his fate is worth waiting for</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He walks on thin ice</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He meets her anger with apologies</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But she has felt betrayal</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And her ring is red again</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hides her fate with a stretch of cloth</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy holds out an olive branch</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One he knows the girl won’t refuse</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fate smiles on him this day</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she reaches out and takes it</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The red rings pulse</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Destiny awaits</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The girl stands beneath the rain</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her fury turned frozen and sharp</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stares into hollow eyes</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And she feels pity</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She spares the man</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And her heart feels lighter</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The boy stands beneath the rain</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His awe flows deep in his bones</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stares at the girl’s eyes</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And he feels calm</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She spares the man</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And his heart feels lighter</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She takes the bandage off of her finger</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He never had one on in the first place</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they embrace, something in the stars aligns</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The red rings glow the brightest they ever have</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But neither see it</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They are too lost in each other</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A flash of brightest white</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His world shrinks to a pinpoint</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His legs move before he even wills them too</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fire stutters through his veins</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His world goes black</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A flash of brightest white</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes blow wide</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His body lands on the ground before her</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her heart stutters in her chest</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her world goes red</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Xx</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Fate is kind this day</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their red rings pulse like a beating heart</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ocean meets the sun</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their eyes connect</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Katara.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I’m the one who should be thanking you.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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